PASADENA – Seven days after one of the UCLA football program's most emotional victories in the last decade, Bruin tight end Joseph Fauria stared straight ahead, emotionless, ignoring the eyes of those around him and reluctantly listening to mistake after mistake that No. 15 UCLA had committed on the field in its regular-season finale, a 35-17 loss to No. 11 Stanford.

A week after a signature, 38-28, victory against rival USC, the Bruins had looked like a completely different team for the 60 minutes they were on the field against the Cardinal. They were unable to secure any sort of rhythm, unable to halt the physicality of Stanford's power-run game, and, most of all, unable to cease from shooting themselves in the foot. A week after everything had seemingly gone right for both teams, only the Cardinal could leave the field without listing everything that had gone wrong.

For UCLA, that lack of emotion started before kickoff. Both Fauria and quarterback Brett Hundley could sense that things were different from the week before, when coming out with energy and focus wasn't a problem against a bitter rival in USC.

"Guys got all hyped up for the rivalry game, and it wasn't the same this week," Fauria said. "We started out flat."

"The energy and the demeanor wasn't as upbeat as it had been in the past," added linebacker Anthony Barr. "I have no idea why. We kind of pride ourselves on our energy and our enthusiasm, and it wasn't fully there today. I know we'll get it back."

After one quarter of Saturday's game, that energy didn't seem to be much of a problem, as the Bruins had held a 7-7 tie through the first 15 minutes of play. The UCLA offense had started off quickly, with Hundley delivering a stellar 71-yard pass to Shaquelle Evans that set up a 13-yard touchdown to Fauria. It was exactly the start the Bruins' high-tempo offense wanted.

But after securing four first downs in the first quarter, UCLA couldn't find a single one in the next frame, just as Stanford's offense began to find holes in the Bruins' defensive front. Running back Stepfan Taylor - after averaging around three yards per carry in the first quarter - burst consistently through tackles in the second quarter and on, finding room on a 49-yard touchdown sprint that gave Stanford its third touchdown of the half. The run was a sign of things to come for UCLA, as Taylor bulldozed the Bruins' defense out of Stanford's pro style set for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

Up against a physical, plodding offense like Stanford's, Taylor and redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan stayed patient, waiting for UCLA's defense to make a mistake, registering first down after first down.

"We just couldn't get off the field," defensive end Datone Jones said, shaking his head.

Even when UCLA's offense finally did take the field, it was unable to find any rhythm to stay on it. Hundley, who had been so poised in the Bruins' five-game winning streak heading into Saturday, finished the game with the worst completion percentage of his short career in Westwood (53 percent). Unable to find many open receivers and unable to shake the powerful Stanford pass rush, Hundley was sacked seven times – many of which came when he refused to throw the ball away in pressure. When all was said and done, Hundley had still managed 261 yards and a touchdown through the air; though his execution hadn't looked nearly as effective as his stats would communicate.

It was just one of those days for Hundley when little seemed to go right, offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said.

"Did I really think that he was going to start ... and go four years and never have one of those games?" Mazzone asked. "No. It happens. ... Today was one of those days."

That seemed to be the theme for UCLA's entire performance on Saturday, as the Bruins had the look of a team that lacked emotion, with little on the line. Win or lose on Saturday, UCLA was guaranteed to play in the Pac-12 championship game next Friday – a fact that prompted some to question the Bruins' motivation against Stanford.

"We're trying to create a culture about winning," UCLA coach Jim Mora said. "The only way you try to win is you go for it every single time you go on the field."

But now the Bruins will re-focus their attention on the same team, as a Friday matchup in Palo Alto looms just six days away for the right to go to represent the Pac 12 in the Rose Bowl. It's a matchup that certainly won't go UCLA's way if it turns in a similarly sloppy effort – one that resulted in 135 penalty yards, a kickoff return fumble that gave Stanford a special teams touchdown, and just nine first downs in the first three quarters combined.

"It will be fixed," Hundley said. "Not every game is going to be perfect. This one for sure wasn't perfect. Mistakes were made. ... We will fix them."

Related Links

UCLA's running back Johnathan Franklin gets wrapped up by Stanford's defense at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's wide receiver Jerry Johnson, left, pulls in a first down reception in the first half while being defended by Stanford's cornerback Terrence Brown at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's quarterback Brett Hundley feels the pressure from the Stanford defense in the first half at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's linebacker Anthony Barr, left, tackles Stanford's punter Daniel Zychlinski, center, who fumbled the snap and then fumbled the ball that was recovered by UCLA's defensive end Cassius Marsh, right, in second quarter at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's quarterback Kevin Hogan fumbles but recover his own fumble in the second quarter at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's linebacker Chase Thomas brings UCLA's quarterback Brett Hundley to the turf in the third quarter at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's linebacker Alex Debniak pops the ball out of the hands of UCLA's Kenneth Walker and was scooped up for a touchdown by Stanford at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bruins' head coach Jim Mora, head down, can't believe that his team was penalized on the same play they intercepted a pass.at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's running back Stepfan Taylor flies into the endzone for a touchdown at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's linebacker Eric Kendricks tries to track down Stanford's quarterback Kevin Hogan at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's Eric Kendricks, left, is left out of the Stanford celebration after the special teams returned a fumble for a touchdown at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bruins' head coach Jim Mora has a discussion with one of the officals over a penalty called on the Bruins in the first quarter at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's A.J. Tarpley left, Ben Gardner, center, and Chase Thomas, right, wrap up UCLA's running back Johnathan Franklin at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Teammates celebrate Stanford's safety Jordan Richards interception in the second half at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Stanford's tight end Zach Ertz grabs a long first down pass in the fourth quarter at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A smaller Stanford defender wrestles UCLA's tight end Joseph Fauria to the ground after a fourth quarter reception at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's defense wraps up Stanford's running back Stepfan Taylor in the first half at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
UCLA's nose tackle Donovan Carter runs the gauntlet of teammates for Senior Day before the game at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Stanford beat UCLA 35-17. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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